1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a granular detergent composition. More particularly, it relates to a granular detergent composition having excellent powdery characteristics which does not substantially contain a phosphate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Phosphates such as tripolyphosphate have excellent function as a builder component of a detergent composition.
It has been known to obtain a granular detergent composition having excellent powdery characteristics by incorporating the phosphate into the detergent composition.
However, the amount of the phosphate has been regulated from the viewpoint of preventing environmental pollution. Accordingly, various proposals have been found for non-phosphate detergent compositions which are combinations of anionic surfactants and alkali builder components of the carbonate and the silicate.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 12426/1972, the non-phosphate detergent composition comprising the anionic surfactant and the alkali builder components of a mixture of the carbonate and the silicate.
However, the granular non-phosphate detergent compositions comprising the alkali builder components such as the carbonate or the silicate have relatively inferior powdery characteristics such as non-caking property, fluidity and particle strength, in comparison with those of the granular phosphate detergent compositions.